MP tours farm to see quality food production work in harmony with outstanding environmental success

The Cannock Chase MP was part of a group who toured a farm that grows wheat, barley, oilseed rape and beans and hosted the first ever Big Farmland Bird Count launched back in 2014 to record species on farms.

He was joined by MP for Rushcliffe James Naish and MP for Ribble Valley Maya Ellis on the visit near Stowmarket as part of the NFU Food and Farming Fellowship Scheme.

The scheme, launched last year in partnership with sponsoring organisations ABP UK, Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC), Arla Foods, Barfoots, the British Egg Industry Council (BEIC) and Fareshare, showcases the industry and enables participating MPs from all political parties to see first-hand how sustainable and affordable food gets from field to fork.

Ed Barker, who hosted the tour on his family farm and is AIC head of policy and external affairs, said: “This scheme is an excellent way of getting MPs out on farm to see up close the work that goes on.

“It was great to be able to demonstrate how arable farms are run and show the positive work farmers do to support the environment and to help the MPs understand the pressures and challenges farmers are facing on the ground.”

The Barker family have had the farm since the 1950s and it is over 500 hectares.

The MPs discovered how the farm's crops are used in the marketplace from making bread, whiskey and beer to animal feed.

They also heard about the many environmental successes achieved on the farm, in part through the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), the government’s flagship support scheme for nature and environmentally friendly farming.

Mr Newbury heard more about the farm's precise methods for optimising the use of fertilisers and crop protection products and saw a demonstration and found out about efforts to support biodiversity and reduce carbon emissions.

The Big Farmland Bird Count, run by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, was first launched at the Barkers’ farm in 2014 and the farm has supported the scheme ever since, hosting it again last year.

The annual survey encourages farmers and land managers to record the bird species and numbers on their farms, supporting conservation work and highlighting the vital role farmers play in supporting farmland birds.

Lapwings, skylarks and turtle doves are among the rare bird species regularly seen on the family farm.

All three are on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s UK Red List of birds needing urgent conservation action.

The MPs also learned about the importance of soil health in arable farming and its importance for crop production and the environment.

NFU combinable crops board chair Jamie Burrows, who attended the visit, said: “This was a great event and the MPs were fully engaged and asking lots of good questions.

“The Barkers do some excellent work and it is a great example of food production and environmental work going together hand-in-hand.

“This was just one example and there are many other farms across the country doing fantastic work like this.”

AIC represents businesses in key sectors within the supply chains that feed the nation.